Canada vs. Australia — Women’s International Friendly
December 1, 2023, at 7:30 pm PT/10:30 pm ET
Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia
Watch Live: OneSoccer

The December international window is the end of a chapter for the Canadian women’s national team. A pair of friendlies against Australia will close out their 2023 schedule, but more notably will bring to a close the international career of Canada’s greatest-ever footballer, Christine Sinclair.

The Burnaby, British Columbia native will bow out in her home province, starting with Friday’s match at Starlight Stadium in Langford, before heading across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver’s BC Place (which will be temporarily renamed Christine Sinclair Place) on Tuesday night.

While BC Place is no stranger to national team matches, Starlight Stadium — the home of Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC — is hosting a national team match for just the second time. On April 11, 2022, a late goal from Shelina Zadorsky rescued a draw for Canada against Nigeria at the stadium during Canada’s Olympic gold medal celebration tour.

Much of the attention around these two games — as it should be — is directed toward Sinclair and celebrating her storied career, but as they prepare to defend their Olympic title in Paris next summer, Canada will also need to take advantage of an opportunity to play two matches against one of the best teams in the world.

Australia, who finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, matched that result at the Women’s World Cup this past summer, which they co-hosted with New Zealand. They are amidst a golden generation of their own, and will be looking to potentially reach the podium next summer, so for them this is an important series of matches as well.

The Matildas will be without their superstar forward Sam Kerr due to a foot injury, one of four players who were forced to withdraw. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold (arm), defender Charlotte Grant (hamstring), and forward Holly McNamara (knee) also miss out through injury, replaced by Jada Whyman, Alex Chidiac, and Remy Siemsen, respectively. Sarah Hunter replaced Kerr, earning her first international call-up.

Canada are dealing with some injury issues of their own, with Evelyne Viens and Julia Grosso pulling out of the squad. Viens was replaced by Latifah Abdu — a 22-year-old who plays for Dijon in Division 1 Féminine, and received her first international call-up. Taking Grosso’s place is Sophie Schmidt, who despite retiring from international duty after the Women’s World Cup will pull on a Canada kit two last times, and will be honoured with Sinclair and former national team goalkeeper Erin McLeod at BC Place on Tuesday.

After beating Jamaica twice in September to qualify for the Paris Olympics, and splitting a two-game series in Halifax and Montreal in October, Canada are in decent form at the moment. The Matildas have had a flawless schedule since finishing fourth at their home World Cup, playing three matches and winning all of them. Between October 26 and November 1, they hosted three Olympic qualifiers in Perth, beating Iran 2-0, the Phillipines 8-0, and Chinese Taipei 3-0.

The all-time record between these teams is dead even, with each side winning eight times and three meetings ending in draws as well as an even goal difference, but it was Australia who came away on top last time out. In the final match of Group B action at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Australia tore Canada to shreds in Melbourne, defeating Les Rouges 4-0 to take top spot in the group and send the Olympic champions packing.

It was a disappointing match and tournament for Canada, but head coach Bev Priestman made sure to note in her press conference before camp began that the team isn’t looking for “revenge” at all, just a chance to play a top team in the world in the leadup to major tournaments.

The camp, while it will be used for celebration as well, is also a crucial one for Canada. It is the last international window of the year, and with the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and Paris 2024 Olympic Games on the horizon, it is an important chance to take a look at players and tactics that Priestman may want to use more in the new year.

Jeneva Hernandez Gray is one of those players, earning her first call-up to the senior national team after impressing at the youth international level and with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy. The 17-year-old midfielder from Coquitlam, BC was recently named the 2023 Whitecaps FC Female Most Promising Player, and will get an opportunity to show that she belongs with the senior national team. Priestman described her as a similar player to Julia Grosso, so with the Juventus midfielder absent from the camp due to injury, Hernandez Gray may get the chance to get reps in that spot in the team instead.

Jade Rose has begun carving herself a regular spot in the senior national team as well, and played very well against Australia in a pair of 2022 friendlies. She will likely be given some game time in at least one of the two matches as well.

Then up top, with Sinclair of course playing in her final international matches, the search for the next player to be Canada’s regular starting striker is underway. It is expected that Sinclair will start one or both of these two games, especially the second one at BC Place, but there will be other minutes up for grabs as well.

Evelyne Viens isn’t in camp due to injury, leaving Jordyn Huitema as the likely understudy to Sinclair. Nichelle Prince has played up top a little bit of late and looked comfortable there as opposed to the wing, so that experiment could continue as well. Otherwise, young forwards Olivia Smith and Latifah Abdu could be called upon, with Smith in particular seen as perhaps the future of the position.

Friday’s match is as important for the on-field activities as much as it’s a chance to say goodbye to Sinclair, making for what should be a very special night on Vancouver Island.